Frances Selma Josephine was the eldest of six, born of Selma Marie Boersch and Francisco Athanasius Vidal, at her mother’s home in Honesdale, Pennsylvania on Nov. 24, 1912. Her father’s parents were Spanish and French born, from France, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico (her father’s birthplace). Her mother’s parents were German and French born who came to the States, living in Michigan (her mother’s birthplace), then in Pennsylvania.

“The very different backgrounds of my parents colored our family life with many ups and downs. In spite of, or because of my father’s army career and Mamma’s illness during all of this time, we were a close-knit family. Mom lost one little boy at childbirth, and another one at five years. Three girls and one boy survived - all healthy children."

“Growing up we lived in many places along the eastern and western coasts and Hawaii. Papa was a good soldier and very strict with us older children. Mama was a real homemaker, but many moves took their toll on her health and strength. I grew up with a fear of losing her. After Max’s birth her health broke and she was never well after that. Several times she had to leave us and go to the mountains or to a sanatorium because of TB. She died at the age of forty-six; I was twenty-five, Max was twenty-one, Jackie (Sr. Mary Bernard), eleven, and Selma nine.”

“Before graduating from high school in Honolulu I had attended at least twelve schools (only one year in a Catholic school). However, our traveling was a real source of education for all of us in spite of much travail and moving about. I worked at many different jobs after high school, and although attracted to art work and dreaming of an art career, I finally went to business college in order to accomplish what I considered necessary to follow a religious vocation. During all this time I had the care of the house and Jackie (Sr. Mary Bernard), and Selma.”

In 1934 Frances went to Puerto Rico with her aunt/godmother for a year. Not having many religious opportunities growing up, this time marked a turning point in her life: 

“During my sojourn away from home I had a conversion experience while reading and studying philosophy on my own.”

“It was a year of leisure and social life, in which I also spent much time in the library there and attending churches, being drawn particularly to visiting a small chapel where exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was kept all day during business hours on one of the busiest streets in San Juan. Although I knew nothing of religious life, it was then I felt God’s grace working and thinking I might even become a sister! A thought I never had before.”

When her mother’s health worsened, Frances returned home. A priest helped the girls persevere in their religious convictions despite their father’s opposition and ridicule. After her mother’s death they moved to Tucson. 

“Papa had retired. Max was in the Air Force. After Jackie finished school I entered at Clyde at the age of thirty-two. I hated to leave Selma, who was still in high school, but it was time for me to go.”

“The postulancy, novitiate, and junior sister days at Clyde were some of the most precious times of my life. I do not think I could have survived those days without the time of our Holy Adoration periods in chapel.” 

Over the years Assumpta served the congregation in various works: correspondence; altar bread; bookkeeping, vestment making; chicken house; printery; portress; infirmary; kitchen; sacristy; and sewing veils - in Clyde, Kansas City, Mundelein, and San Diego.

She maintained a healthy interest in learning, having enrolled in a broad range of courses: renewal and liturgy; philosophical anthropology; group encounter; scripture; institute for contemplative sisters; communications; yoga; workshop for middle-aged sisters; English literature and poetry; gerontology; prayer; personality dynamics; leadership; mind control; tailoring; speed reading; auto mechanics, and compression. Certified in reflexology, she provided foot treatments for many (in and outside the monastery). Into her late 80’s Assumpta’s hands were exceptionally strong and she loved “doing feet.” Not only healing for the body, the sessions were nourishment for the soul as she lovingly treated the whole person with her hands and heart.

She loved art, music, drama, dancing, nature, swimming, reading; and described herself as “somewhat of a rebel.” Secretly she desired to be a hermit, which, to some extent, she was in our health care center. Interested in health and nutrition, she was active in her own care, letting the staff know how to attend to her. Although a heart condition had compromised her health for years, we were shocked when, on Sept. 4, 2005, Sr. Assumpta was found to have passed away in her room during community Vespers. She died in the solitude she so longed for—a final benediction on her life dedicated to God.